Ajaokuta Steel Company to commence production under next govt – Adegbite
Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc Olamilekan Adegbite, has expressed optimism over the Ajaokuta Steel Company to production under next government.
Adegbite stated this during his remarks at a valedictory session organised by Diplomatic Vista in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the solid minerals sector, where he said the Buhari-led administration has taken the company to an appreciable height, which is in the direction of completing the process and operationalising it.
However, according to him, there were factors which stalled the process of making Ajaokuta Steel Company work under the Buhari-led administration, and they include the litigation by the Kogi State Government and other bottlenecks that worked against the planned concession of the complex.
Meanwhile, he assured that issues surrounding Ajaokuta Steel Company would be resolved by the next administration that would lead to eventual steel production activities.
He also maintained that government is a continuum, hence the need for incoming administration to consolidate on what the previous administration had done in order to achieve and meet the yearning and aspirations of the people.
He said: “Ajaokuta seems to be intractable but that’s not true. We’ve taken Ajaokuta to a point, and we would have achieved a bigger milestone, but we had an impediment.
“The Kogi State Government thought it differently, went to court and that stopped what we were doing.
“But I am sure this will be resolved and Ajaokuta will start producing. Government is a continuum.”
He also disclosed that the $600 million Kaduna private integrated steel plant in Gujeni village, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, established by African Natural Resources and Mines, is now fully completed, however is on a test run ahead of official commissioning, and it gives hope that with this steel plant coming on stream along with Ajaokuta Steel Company Nigeria on verge of economic prosperity.
Earlier, in an address of welcome, on behalf of the organisers, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Segilola Gold Project, Segun Lawson, explained that the essence of recognizing the Minister of Mines and Steel Development and Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, including the Permanent Secretary, Mines and Steel Development, Dr Oluwatoyin Akinlade and others with the event with the theme ‘A Dinner, Networking, and Recognition Night’ along with other stakeholders in the mining industry was based on their exceptional performance and impact in accordance with their achievements in the sector.
“It is on record that they had discharge their duties creditably well, and diversification agenda of the federal government through the solid minerals sector has been taken to a higher pedestal”, Lawson said.
